By-pass valve for aircraft fuel pumps



Jan. 6, 1942. R. R/CURTIS BYI-PASS VALVE FOR AIRCRAFT FUEL PU PS Ori ginal Filed July 13, 1939 WAT En SF Bus-8:44 ,9. (yer/s.

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Patented Jan. 6, 1942 Russell R. Curtls, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Cur- I I tis Pump Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application July 13, 1939, Serial No. Divided and this application March 15, 1940, Serial No. 324,103 v 6 Claims.

The present invention, a division of my copending application entitled Aircraft fuel pump, filed July 13, 1939, Serial No. 284,263, relates to fuel pumps for aircraft engines and is more particularly directed to mechanism for permitting the by-passing of fuel from the suction to the discharge side of the pump.

Aircraft fuel systems of the class to which this invention pertains includes a by-pass valve through which fuel may be forced from the suction to the discharge side of the power pump by means of an auxiliary hand operated pump, the hand pump being available in an errfirgency when for any reason the power pump fails to deliver the fuel, and it is an object of this invention to provide a more simple and effective by-pass valve which will occupy less space than those heretofore known.

The novel features believed to be characteristic of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and manner of construction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sec- 1 tional view, with parts in elevation, illustrating the connection and operative relation of a bypass valve in a fuel pump body in accordance with the principles of the. present invention;

Figure 2 is a reduced plan view, with parts broken away, of the by-pass valve illustrated in Figure 1 as seen in the plane taken substantially along the line 11-11 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, as seen when taken along the line IIIIII of Figure 1;

Th valve construction ll! of the'present invention is illustrated in Figure 1 as being assembled in a construction I I having hollow body members 12 and I3. In the present instance, the construction H is a pump assembly having the removably connected hollow housing portions I 2 It is to be understood, however, that the valve l0- may be applied to any-mechanism for the purpose of controlling the flow of fluid therethrough.

As best shown in Figure 3, the housing or body portion l3 open into each other to define a discharge chamber H.

A web or hub N3, in the body portion I3, divides the body into the flow duct l6 and a suction chamber l9. Fluid flow betweenthe chambers is normally restricted by the by-pass valve Ill.

whose operative connection to the pump will now be described. j

- The pump body portion I3 is chambered as at 20 to provide a surface 2| in spaced relation from the connecting surface 22 of the pump body portion l2. 'The'chamber surface 2| terminates on the inside of the pump body portion l3 in a downwardly extending rib which defines a valve seat 23. Likewise, the'web or hub l8 terminates in a downwardly extending rib portion defining a.

valve seat 24 in horizontal alignment with the seat 23.

As best shown in Figure 3, the chambered portion of the pump body l3 has upwardly extending bosses 25 and 26 at the ends of the chamber 20. Holes are formed in the bosses 25 and 26 for receiving round end portions 21 and 28 of a U- 4 shaped frame 29. It is to be noted that the legs 30 and 3| of the U-shaped frame 29 are as long as the distance between the pump body surfaces pump, fuel may be forced through the power portions 12 and I3 are removably connected together by means of studs, l4. When so connected, the fluid flow duct IS in the housing porpump, independently of its pumping elements, by' means of a auxiliary pump provided for that pur- The by-pass valve Illof this invention isof tion l2 and the fluid flow duct IS in the housing improved design. It is of synthetic rubber to metal sealconstruction, so that a very light spring holds it closed effectively against leakage, and is so placed with its orifices so shaped as to provide a substantially direct non-resisting passage for the flow of pumped fuel.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the by-pass valve l comprises a rectangular metal flap 33 having hinge ears 34 and 35 extending angularly.

away therefrom and being swingably supported in the valve frame 29 by the hinge pin 32. Torque springs 36 and 31, surrounding the hinge pin 32, have free ends which engage the frame and flap and are so tensioned as to urge the fiap to a normal closed position.

A facing pad 38 of resilient material, preferably a compound of cork and synthetic rubber, is secured to the flap 33. In order to provide against any distortion in the facing pad and to allow for swelling inherent in the material thereof, the pad is provided with spaced apart holes 39 intowhich thefspacing washers 40 fit freely.

It is to be noted that the washers 40 are slightly smaller in diameter than the holes 39 in the facing pad and are thicker than the facing pad for a purpose now to be explained. I

A retaining plate 4| lies on the washers 40 and is sized for completely covering the washers but is smaller than the facing pad to provide an exposed portion of the pad around the marginal edge of the by-pass valve in order that the resilient pad might fully seat on the valve seats 23 and 24. Rivets 42, 42 extend through the metal flap 33, the washers 40, 40 and the retaining plate 4| to secure the parts together.

The washers 40, 40 are enough thicker than the facing pad 38 and enough smaller in diameter than the holes 39, 39 to allow for swelling inherent in the material of the facing pad to provide against any distortion thereof when subjected to fluids flowing between the pump chambers l9 and I1. By eliminating any distortion, the facing pad 38 will be held in sealing engagement against the valve seats 23 and 24 by the springs 36 and 31 exerting pressure against the pivoted flap 33.

As long as the fluid pressure within the chamhinge pin 32 away from the seats 23 and 24 to permit fluid flow from the chamber l9 into the discharge chamber I1.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a simple by-pass valve construction is provided by this invention wherein a sealing material is held against a valve seat with no distortion therein even though the material swells when subjected to flow of certain fluids past the valve. While a particular embodiment only of this invention has been illustrated, it will, of course, be understood that the invention should not be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and therefore, it is contemplated by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What I claimis:

1. A valve construction for engagement with a seat separating fluid chambers comprising, a valve flap adapted to swing toward and away from said seat, a resilient facing on said flap having spaced holes therethrough, washers in said holes of smaller diameter than. said holes but thicker than said facing, a plate resting on the top of said washers, rivets extending through the plate, washers and flap securing the same together, hinge ears on said flap, a supporting hinge frame, a hinge pin passing through said supporting frame and said ears, and resilient means normally urging said valve to a closed position on said seat.

2. In a construction having hollow bodies arranged for removable connection to each other, one of said bodies having a wall separating said bodies into chambers, and an apertured portion in said wall defining a valve seat, a check valve in said one body comprising a valve fiap adapted to swing toward and away from said seat, a resilient facing held loosely on said flap, hinge ears on said flap, a hinge frame having pins extending upwardly therefrom and slidable in holes insaid one body, the lower surface of said frame resting on a portion of the surface of said other body to which said one body is connected whereby said frame is securely held while the bodies are assembled but readily removable when they are separated, a hinge pin extending through said frame and said ears for pivotally supporting said valve, and resilient means for normally urging said valve to a closed position on said seat.

3. A valve construction arranged for movement toward ,and away from a seat comprising a pivoted flap, a resilient facing pad on said flap and having a row of holes therethrough, a washer in each of said holes being of greater thickness than said facing pad and of less diameter than the hole within which it is positioned, a plate covering said holes and covering a portion only of said facing pad resting on the top of said washers, and means extending through said holes for connecting said plate, washers and flap together.

4. The combination with removably connected wall portions having flat engaging surfaces, 'one of said wall portions having a recess defining a surface spaced from said engaging surface on the other wall portion, and spaced holes in said one wall portion terminating in said recess surface, of a valve supporting frame comprising a U-shaped member having a flat bight portion arranged to be seated on the fiat surface of the other wall portion, a pair of pins on the free ends of the legs of said U-shaped member and slidably seated within the holes of the one wall portion, a pin-bridging and having its ends embedded within the legs of said U-shaped member for pivotally supporting a valve, and a spring member having an intermediate portion coiled around said pin and its end portions extending radially from the pin in angular relation to'each other, one of the end portions of said spring abutting the bight portion of said frame and the other end portion engaging a valve for urging it in one direction.

5. The combination with a pair of removably connected hollow bodies having fiat engaging surfaces at their connected ends, a sidewall of one of said bodies being recessed at its connected end to define a surface in spaced relation from the engaging surface on the other body, a wall of greater thickness than said facing and of less member and the other end portion engaging said diameter than the facing hole in which it is seated, a plate entirely covering said holes and covering a portion only of said facing resting on top of said washers, rivets extending through the.

plate, washers and flap securing them together, a U-shaped supporting member having a fiat bight portion seated on the engaging surface of said other body, pins on the free ends of the legs of said U-shaped member and slidably seated within holes in the sidewall of said one body, a

pin bridging and having its ends embedded within the legs of said U-shaped membensaid pin passing through the hinge ears on said flap for pivotally supporting said valve, and a spring adjacent each hinge ear having an intermediate portion coiled around said pin and its end portions extending radially from the pin in angular relation to each other, one of said endportions abutting the bight portion of said U-shaped valve flap for normally urging the valve against the valve seat.

6. A frame having apertured mounting arms extending therefrom, comprising a U-shaped member having the free ends of the legs thereof arranged for mounting in a support, a pin bridging and having its ends carried by the'legsof said uapertured mounting arms, of said valve for pivotally supporting the latter, and spring means- RUSSELL- R. CURTIS.

for pivotally supporting a valve shaped member, said pin passing through the. 

